Four Psychological Factors in the Development of Religion




1. The influence of teaching and various other social pressures (the social psychological factor).

        This would include religious indoctrination as a child.

        And suggestion plays a large role in the development of religious attutudes.  ("Suggestion" is making a statement in such a way that it is accepted by listeners as
        true without their having rational grounds for believing it to be true. Hypnosis is a form of suggestion.)

2. Religious emotional experience

        Moral conflict

        Experiences of the beauty, harmony and goodness of the world

        Mystical experience

3. Unmet needs

        Religious attitudes can result from our seeking to fulfill such needs as safety, security, companionship, love, reassurance about death, and so forth.

4. Intellectual experience

        The intellect can drive the development of religious attitudes and beliefs